Pneumatic tire



(N0 Model.)

U. P; SMIT. P NBUMATIGTIRE. No. 605,523. `Pamented June 14, 1898.

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Nmap Sterns 'rrrcng '.UZZIEL P. SMITH, `OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PN *EU IVIATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersY Patent No. 605,523, dated J' une I4, 1898.

Application led December 29, 1897. Serial No. 664,163. (No model.) A

To all whom, it uta/y concern. l

Beit known that I, UZZIEL P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand 'useful Improvements in Pneumatic Tires, of which the following is a specification'. i

My invention relates particularly to that class of pneumatic tires known as clenchertires, and especially to the means by which the tire is held in position and engagement with the rim.

The object of my invention is to provide simple, economical, and efficient means for holding a pneumatic tire of theclencher type in position and in engagement with the rim; and the invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse sectional view taken through a' wheel rim and tire constructed and arranged in accordance with my improvements; Fig. 2, a perspective View of one of the flaring rings by which the tire is held in place', and Fig. 3 an enlarged detail view showing a section of the flaring securing-ring.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that clencher-tires-that class of pneumatic tires which are held in place by the inflation of an inner extensible core-require rims made in a particular manner, which prevents ordinary wheel-rims from being used in connection with a clencher-tire. Myinvention,therefore, is intended primarily to provide a clencher-tire of such construc-` tion and arrangement that it can be used in connection with an ordinary rim, so that the rider can have at his command either a clencher or an ordinary cemented pneumatic` tire, as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple economical means for securingv the tire in position.

In constructing a tire in accordance with my improvements I prefer to use a Wheel-rim A .of the usual type-viz., a wheel-rim which is crescent-shaped in cross-section--that is, having a plane concaved peripheral groove a-to which a pneumatic tire in the shape of a regular tubular annulus may be cemented.'

In 'making my improved type Aof tire I progroove. In this arrangement a line drawn' e from the lateral edge c to a point directly opposite on'the same lateral edge would bedia-V metrically `larger than a line drawn'from lthe opposite lateral edge c `to a point diametrically opposite. In other words, 'the lateral edges of the securing-ringsare of different diameters, first,for the purpose of enabling the lateral edge of the tire to be' Yreadily removed or inserted in place, and, second, so that it will more readily conform to the contiguous rim-surface and assist in locking the tire in position.

It is not absolutely necessary that the securing-rings be made in this Haring shape,but I consider it preferable.

AsWill beY observed from an inspection of Fig. l offthe drawings, it will be seen that the inner diameter c' of the flaring ring is less than the diameteruof the concave wlieel.-rim. It will also be observed that this continuous ring or band is embedded in the tire-sheath.

The peculiar advantages derived from'this construction are, first, that it is practically .impossible to so inflate the tire as to strip the sheath from its engagement With the Wheelrimysecond, the tire-sheath may be placed on the Wheel or removed therefrom with facility, and, finally, the user has his option to use either a double-tube tire or a single-tube tire in combination with what is known as a crescent wooden rim.

j In the clencher type of tire it is advisable to use an inner tube D, which is preferably inserted between the 'shea-thor casing and the wheel-rim, so that as it isinflated and eX- panded it acts to force the securing-rings 'apart and lock them firmly againstV the grooved peripheral surface ofthe rim.

The advantages incident toa tire constructed in accordance with myimprovemcnts are,

`iirst, that it can be used in connection-with the ordinary bicycle-rim;` second, that it can loo be used practically in connection with almost any type of rim; third, that there is no necessity for an additional central peripheral groove on the wheel-rim for clearance, and, fourth, that the tire is very simple and economical to manufacture and very efiicientin operation.

Vhile l have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details and as being embodied in certain precise forms7V I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claim. On the contrary, l contemplate all 'proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement, the omission of immaterial elements, and substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render eX- pedient.

I claim- As a new article of manufacture, a pneumatic tire provided with an outer sheath slitted circumferentially at its inner surface and provided With two continuous fiat metallic Iiaring bands the inner diameter of Which is smaller than the outer diameter of the Wheelrim and embedded in the sheath at or near its lateral edges', and a WheeLrim provided with a concave peripheral groove of larger diameter at its lateral edges than the inner diameters of the daring rings, substantially as described.

U. P. SMITH.

Witnesses: TnouAs F. SHERIDAN,

EPHRAIM BANNING. c 

